Illusion personified as a female form or celestial origin, created for the
purpose of beguiling some individual. Sometimes identified with Durga as
the source of spells, or as a personification of the unrealityof worldly things.
In this character she is called Mayadevi or Mahamaya.

māyā
[Source: from the Monier Williams
Sanskrit Dictionary]
. art, wisdom, extraordinary or supernatural power (only
in the earlier language)
. illusion, unreality, deception, fraud, trick, sorcery, witchcraft magic
. an
unreal or illusory image, phantom, apparition
. duplicity
(with Buddhists one of the 24 minor evil passions).
. one of the 4
Pāśas
or snares which
entangle the soul
. one of the 9
Śaktis
or energies of
Vishṇu

Modern
Languages MLLL-4993. Indian Epics. Laura Gibbs, Ph.D.
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October 16, 2007 12:22 PM